SAID TO HAVE STARTED THE BALL ROLLING

Chronicle (Levin), 3 December 1947, Page 7

SAID TO HAVE STARTED THE BALL ROLLING

-Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dec. 2. Eighteen yeara of labour to secure recognition of clothing trade employees as skilled workers, have been defeated by the inanner in which the Court applied the recent wage increase to this industry, declared Mr. John Robei^ts for the New Zealand Clothing Trades Employees' Eederation in the Court of Arbitration. Mr. Roberts asked the Court to review its lindings and to restore male workers to the skilled workers' rate and grant further v in creases also to female workers and apprentices. An amendment was sought to the wages clauses in the New Zealand clothing trades employees award, the New Zealand (except northern industrial district) Dressmak^rs ' and Alilliners' Award and the New Zealand Ghirt White and Silk Workers' Award. Whereas the Court had lixed the minimum \\age for adult • male maehinists at Cti los 9d a week, the applleants sought L7 3s ld, the equivalent of the Court 's new standarci rate of 3s 7d an iioiu: for skilled work ers multip'lied l,\v -t() to eonvert it to a 40-liour week basis. For journeywomen the Court had lixed a rate of £4 Gs 9d a week Avhich aiiplicants asked should be increased to £4 Gs. I.ncreases were also sought for apprentices and juniors. Alr. Roberts said that the. Court 's recent amendment to awards had the effeet ot' relegating clothing trade workers once more to'tlie level of semiskilled workers. hlr. 0. G. Camp, secretary of the New Zealand Ihuployers' Federation, appearing for the emplovers, said it had been the accepted and acknowledged opinion of the assessors in conciliation that only certain work was recognised as work to be done by tradesmen. A group of assessors met recently and it was agreed not to oppose the union 's claims for adult. journeymen up to £7 Is a week (the equivalent of 3s Gid au hour). The employers' assessors considered that 3s (ikl an hour should be the maxinium. JSLr. Justice Tyndall said the Court had been toki that clothing trade workers' gains made in 1946, were the start of a series oi' claims which led to the recent new wage pronouncemeni. The increase given to clothing workers in 194(5 had a tremendous elfect on tlm national ecouomy. Would another in crease not have the same efi'ect hlr. 4V. Cecil Prunc, employers' representative ou the Court, said when clothing trade workers had the last' increase other female workers thought they should have the same. That would happen again. 5fr. Roberts said the recent deeision of the Court had already removed tlu margiu the clothing trade workers had over boot trade workers. ■Mr. Justice Tyndall: I dou't know how you can staud there and ask for tliis and still be a member of the ^tabilisation Connuission, JMr. Roberts. Mr. Roberts: 1 say that costs are being hekl better in New Zealand, laking it all in all, than in any othei part of Ihe British Empire. Mr. Roberts added that he had been seeking for the last 18 nionths to have clothing workers. moved up to the skilled rate and had achieved this only to have it taken a.way aguin. Mr. Tvn'dall: Well,- tlie Federation of Labour said that' your uuibti ■w^k|:jone of Ihe first to upset the equilibiium. Ferhaps the fault lies with us, liowever, in not rejecTing the increases agreed upon in conciliation in 194(5. llis Honour said that in making the recent adjustments, the Court had to take into account regulation 39 (c i w*hich ruled that the Court had to have, when making the recent adjustments, due regard to any increases in the rates of remuneration granted by the Cotirt since March, 1 94-5. Deeision was reserved.